


Star Child

by SmileDesu



Category: New Avengers (Comics), Young Avengers (Comics)
Genre: Fusion, Gen, M/M, Steven Universe - Freeform, all of them - Freeform, all the references
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-27
Updated: 2017-05-27
Packaged: 2018-11-05 15:03:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11015853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmileDesu/pseuds/SmileDesu
Summary: "That is one hell of a mess" was the thought shared by both Billy and Teddy as they realized they had fused into a single entity (Steven Universe inspired)





	Star Child

It was supposed to be a simple mission - an easy one, even. Just a recon mission, no heroics, call for backup if anything comes up - a silly thing to say when one's team consisted of Wiccan and Hulkling, two young men who put the 'power' in 'power couple'. How did it all go so wrong, then?  
A rogue AIM cell. They were working on-- something. It wasn't supposed to be active, but less than a minute after the two heroes showed up and blew their cover it went off - to the surprise of everyone, including its caretakers. There was a bright flash of light, an explosion? It was _something_ , all right, enough to leave him disoriented. Unconscious for a while, even? He recovered before long and looked around, trying to take it all in. There wasn't too much structural damage, thankfully, and as far as he could tell, all enemy scientists were accounted for, if immobilized. There was the device, too, slightly smoking and shooting sparks, out of commission. It didn't seem like there were any immediate threats, but still he couldn't relax. How could he, when his beloved partner was nowhere to be seen?!  
   
"Ti--" he tried to call out, only to bite his tongue as he attempted to produce two different sounds at the same time. Why? It was a name he knew all too well, one he spoke only too often. How could he have gotten it wrong?!  
"Be--" he tried again, only to end up with the same predicament. This wasn't right, it shouldn't be this hard! He tried again.  
   
"Billy!" That was better, he thought, only to frown. No, that _was his_ name, why would he call it out? Unless...  
   
"...Teddy?" There it was again, that sense of recognition someone was calling out to him, and again, in a voice that didn't belong to either of them. It echoed in his mind until something clicked, and he realized it wasn't so much an echo, but a different voice - and that that odd sensation was him not being alone.   
   
"You're in here too, aren't you?" he asked and looked down at his hands, star-adorned and green and shaking.   
"We both are," he concluded, fists clenching as he slowly processed what happened. The 'how' mattered much less than the 'what', by far. Where there used to be two people, now there was one.  
   
"Well, this is one hell of a mess," he muttered, but even as the words left him, he could scarcely fight off the excitement that was building up inside him.  
"We're a fusion," came the awed, adoring whisper before panic and confusion gave way to something warm and good and right.  
   
"We're a fusion!!! ...how do we explain this to mom and dad?!"  
   
–  
   
The clean-up crew showed up briefly after the call was placed, and were quite surprised to see this new unidentified person - who thankfully came without a fight. There was something about his bright smile and the confidence he radiated that let the crew know they probably shouldn't mess with him. Refusing to give them his name, he was reported as 'John Doe' and placed in a protective cell for the time being. He paced back and forth, muttering to himself all along. Random, incoherent words that made sense to no one, like "Shooting Star" ("no, no, too corny"), "Fallen Prince" ("Talk about _morbid!_ "), or "Star Weaver" ("nah, still too singular, we need a mix...").  
Eventually he seemed to have worn himself out, because he sat down and stared into space, a goofy, content grin on his face.  
   
"And he's been like this for how long?"   
   
"Thirty three minutes now, sir."  
   
"I see."   
That wasn't the answer Roberto DaCosta wanted to hear, but then again, even the Supreme Leader of AIM wasn't sure what to make of this new individual, brought back in place of two members of his field team. Doubtless he knew where Billy and Teddy were, but it was decided no further contact be made until the scientists ran their tests and got a semblance of an idea of who- or what- the guy was. No radiation, no unintended energy projection, no threat. As to what else he was, however--  
   
"He's definitely not human," was the conclusion from Toni Ho, head of the engineering division. She looked at her tablet again and heaved a sigh. "It's hard to say what he _is_ , though. His DNA structure is--"  
   
"A mess," pitched in Max Brashear, head of the technical physics division, whose arms were crossed and forehead - creased. "We ran it against homo sapien, various common homo superior patterns, most terran lifeforms, Shi'ar, Skrull, Kree, anything we had access to. Some things, it came _close_ to, but never enough to make sense."  
   
"Because where would be the fun in that," Roberto purred, eyes trained on the screen showing their new friend. He seemed familiar, was the most frustrating thing about it, and the fact he had Hulkling and Wiccan's transporters and communicators both while the two were missing only made him all the more of an enigma.   
   
"What do you think, Songbird?"   
   
The veteran hero, so far keeping out of the way, took a step forward towards the monitors. From the looks on Melissa's face, Roberto knew she shared his opinion, but he wanted to hear it from her either way.  
   
"I think we won't know any more about him _or_ where our boys are until we actually talk to him."  
   
"Agreed. Get the team, I'll meet you in the confinement lobby."  
   
"It almost sounds like you're planning something."  
   
"Oh, nothing fancy, just some freshening up. First impressions - you only get to make them once, after all."  
   
–  
   
The door leading to the containment lobby moved silently, but it was impossible to ignore its movements, not when the handful of colorful figures walked through it. Sunspot and Songbird took the lead, with the three remaining New Avengers spread behind them. The young man in the chamber stared in awe at the spectacle until the doors closed again, at which point he broke into a grin.  
   
"That is _so_ cool!" he exclaimed, making Songbird quirk a brow while Roberto smiled back.  
   
"Right? Wait, wait, I want to see what it's like," Roberto declared and jogged up to the cell before turning around to face his team. "Hm, yes, I see what you're talking about. Doors opening, all of us prancing through. Did you get that recorded?" he asked into his earpiece before nodding with satisfaction. "Good."  
   
The captive laughed as he walked up to his cell's wall and leaned against it next to where Roberto did on the other side.   
"Couldn't help but notice you're missing a couple of faces, though. Where's Pod?"  
   
"On standby. I didn't think we'd need that heavy a hitter right off the bat. Was I wrong?" Roberto asked over his shoulder, meeting a smirk.  
   
"Night's still young."  
   
"I think I like you." The one inside winked, but that was the last bit of playfulness Roberto permitted. "But I think I'd like you better if you told me what happened to the two missing members of my team."  
   
The captive winced and pulled away, hands on his hips. "Now, that... that might be hard to do."  
   
The two leaders exchanged a look. Melissa basically shrugged, seeing no point in interfering with Roberto's questioning yet. He closed his eyes in acknowledgement before turning to face their guest, hands in his pockets.   
"You know what I think?"  
   
"That your entrance would've been that much better with them here?"  
   
Squirrel Girl snickered in the back.  
   
"...yes," Roberto responded honestly. "But I also think you mean us no harm. You came willingly, and have sat there quietly while we got ready to meet you. If anything, between how much you know about us and your reaction, I'd say you were a fan."  
   
"Awkward," Power Man muttered, and was silenced by White Tiger.  
   
"Well, it's hard not to be!" came the rather bashful reply that seemed curiously familiar.  
   
Roberto nodded. "I can't argue with that. How about it, then? Help us out here?"  
   
The way the guy looked conflicted and torn seemed genuine, at least. "I wish I could, but you're the big sciency organization. If anyone has any idea what happened, it's you."  
   
"Fair enough. Toni?" Roberto asked into his earpiece. The reply was disheartening, as it would take a while yet to reverse engineer the device salvaged, and none of the other captives were being half as cooperative.   
"I see. In that case, let's try something different." One hand still in his pocket, Roberto rested the other over the glass-like surface of the cell's wall. "Why don't you tell us about yourself? You know so much about us, we're gravely at a disadvantage."  
   
"You come on strongly for a first date. I don't dislike that in a guy."  
   
Songbird quirked a brow. Roberto shrugged.  
"That said, let's start small, shall we? How about a name?"  
   
The smile wiped from his face, replaced by a distracted frown.  
"I can't."  
   
"Even a codename would--"  
   
"No, it's not that, it-- we don't _have_ one." 'We', Roberto thought, but kept that to himself as the confused burst continued. "It's funny. In the show, they always knew right away, or barely gave it a second thought. Not here. I guess it was stupid to think it'd be like that? But it goes beyond not having any ideas of a name, we have plenty, but try and try, none of them seem good enough! Nothing really sticks!"  
   
Not quite following in full, Roberto still managed to understand the bottom line, and so he nodded, arms crossed and a thoughtful frown on his face.  
"I see. In that case, how about we call you... 'Sean'. Hm, yes, that works."  
   
A moment passed in silent contemplation. "'Sean'... I don't _hate_ it... but _why_?"  
   
"You look like a 'Sean', don't you think?" Roberto asked and glanced back at Songbird in amusement, but his co-leader was too busy frowning at the lost look on Sean's face.  
   
"I don't. I actually have no idea what I look like," came the soft confession as he scratched his nape, voice soft and a bit ashamed. He could be playing them, Roberto knew, hoping to earn their sympathy and pity, lower their guard. But there was _something_ about him, something almost innocent and pure that made Roberto reach for his earpiece again.  
   
"Let's see what we can do about that.".   
   
A line of blur ran down one of the segments making out the cell's walls, leaving it reflecting on the inside. Sean stared for a moment before glancing at Roberto, who was smiling brightly. Sunspot then turned away, giving his guest the time needed while he walked up to Songbird for a quick strategy meeting.  
   
"Do you really buy into his act?" she asked once he was close enough.  
   
"Don't you?" he asked back before watching Sean step up to the makeshift mirror, his hesitation giving way to excitement that was evident in every last motion and gesture.   
"It feels like we can trust him, doesn't it? Almost like we _know_ him."  
   
"It's exactly what'll bite us in the ass."  
   
"Which is _exactly_ why you're all here, watching my back."  
   
An excited yelp drew their attention in full back to the cell. Both leaders took several steps closer to get a better view of Sean, and once they did, they were met with an expression of pure glee.  
"I'm _beautiful_!" he declared, making Songbird sigh.  
   
"Oh look, you have something in common."  
   
"Must be our overflowing humility." The statement lacked any true hubris to it, and mattered little while Sean began examining himself thoroughly. His differently colored eyes, one blue, one brown; his pierced ears, one sporting just the one lone hoop, while the other was adorned all along the shell; his light brown hair; the stars occasionally blinking over his skin.  
   
"Ok, ok, I see, so there's that, and that, which came from-- wait, that's not right. Who is _this_ from?"  
   
"Enjoying the view?" Roberto interjected. He quite enjoyed the display of childish joy, but thought it best they kept going, especially while it seemed like they were on his good side and might still get some info out of him. What he got instead was a hand on a stuck-out hip and a sultry look.  
   
"Aren't you?"  
   
Not a man to be fazed by such advances for long, Roberto scratched his chin as he gave Sean a good once-over. "Maybe I am, friend. Maybe I am."  
   
Sean grinned widely before waving a hand. "Much obliged, but unfortunately for you, I'm taken! Wait, but what about a threesome-- oh, now there's a thought I didn't know we shared--"  
   
"You're losing us, Sean," Roberto tried. Sean chuckled awkwardly and scratched his neck again.  
   
"Ah, sorry, sorry, it's kind of hard to think straight for long like this."  
   
Seeing a chance, or the shadow of one, Roberto lowered his voice and let his expression soften.  
"What did they _do_ to you?"  
   
"Do? They? I don't-"  
   
At her wits' end, Songbird stepped forward. "The scientists whose headquarters we found you at."   
Her voice wasn't quite hard, but certainly more business oriented than Roberto's.  
   
"Playing bad-cop on me, Mel?"  
   
"When I do, Roberto, you'll know, because your ears will be bleeding."  
   
The exchange lasted just long enough for Sean to understand what they meant. He slammed a fist into his other hand, cooing in awe.  
"Oooooooh! You think I was a guinea pig! That's not-- well, I guess I kind of _was_? Ha, imagine the looks on their faces when they realize it worked!"  
   
Another look was exchanged between Roberto and Melissa, one of varying degrees of concern.   
"Sean, listen. We can help. Make sure they didn't hurt you. Fix it if they did. All we ask for in return is that you help us back. Do you think you can do that?"  
   
A moment of silence passed before Sean crossed his arms, pouting.  
"I'd love to, Roberto, but I'm not sure how much I can offer. You just _named_ me!"  
   
"There has to be something you can tell us," Melissa insisted. "Where you came from. _Anything_ else you remember from the lab. Whatever small, seemingly irrelevant detail you can think of."  
   
"Like what I am?" The eagerness in his voice was unnerving, as though he's been waiting for exactly that, and for a while. Roberto couldn't help but sigh softly. How confused _was_ this guy?  
   
"That'd be a fantastic start, yes," he said regardless, and braced for impact at the distant look that settled in Sean's eyes when he looked down at his hands.   
   
"I'm a mix. I'm nothing and everything. I'm different. I'm warmth and safety. I'm tears, and I'm joy. I'm an embrace. A conversation."  
Looking up, it was the brightest Roberto's seen anyone's eyes glow, that smile - the proudest, the happiest.   
"I'm an _experience_!"  
   
"Wait-- WHAAAAAT?!"  
Before anyone could acknowledge that his statement, effectively, made no sense, Squirrel Girl let out a shriek. All present turned to her as she displayed a myriad of expressions, all mixtures of disbelief and shock, and at times, outright denial that phased back into frenzied grins.  
"Noooo, you can't be-- but you _are_ , aren't you?! Stevonnie?!"  
   
Fingers snapping into gun-like gestures, Sean let out a laugh. "Ten points to Squirrel-dor! Didn't think anyone'd catch onto that!"  
   
"Squirrel Girl, what are you talking about?" Ava asked, refusing to be swept away by the confusion. Roberto quickly followed suit.  
   
"Yes, please share with the rest of the class. Spoil away, as they say."  
   
Doreen looked at Sean hesitatingly, but his smile then was softer, almost reassuring, and relieved. She nodded.  
   
"He's... _them_. Wiccan and Hulkling, they're both in there. In _him_. He's a _fusion_."  
   
It wasn't long before Sean began moving uneasily under the accumulated scrutiny.   
"Jeez, you don't have to _stare_..."  
   
"Roberto," Toni's voice came through; he turned away, fingers to his ear.  
   
"Talk to me, Toni. What've you got?"  
   
"Well, it'll take a while for a full analysis, but I don't think he's lying. We're running some permutations of combinations of their DNAs--"  
   
"And it's a match."  
   
"More than anything else we've tried, at least."  
   
Looking back at the young man still inside the cell, Roberto couldn't hold back that snicker. It was so surreal, so absurd - _ridiculous!_ \- it was _just_ like Billy and Teddy to have that happen to them.  
   
"This is your Supreme Leader speaking," Roberto declared into his microphone. "Someone tell Derek of subdivision 6E he can look forward to that Nintendo Switch - his theory was correct. Now, open up that damned cell! Two of my Avengers are in there!"  
   
It's not that there was no doubt left, but enough was seemingly proved, so the team closed ranks, welcoming Sean out of captivity. The first to greet him was Vic.  
   
"Man, why didn't you just _tell_ us?!" Victor complained, earning himself an awkward shrug.   
   
"Would you have believed me? Besides, I wasn't lying when I said it's hard to think like this, it's _really loud in here_!" Sean complained, pointing at his head with both hands.   
   
"I believe that," Roberto pitched in and patted Sean's back. "I also believe you haven't eaten in a while, so why don't you go grab some grub before we see how we can unbind you two?"  
   
Something flashed in Sean's eyes, a shadow that stood in contrast to the smile he yet offered. Still, he did as suggested, leaving Roberto behind to wonder about that in silence.  
   
–  
   
Whatever relief was felt at knowing what happened was short lived. Leaving engineering to find out how it worked was tedious enough, let alone figuring out how to revert it. Roberto had full confidence Toni and Max would lead their teams to victory, but it would take more time still, during which Billy and Teddy were stuck as one entity. Granted, it was difficult to think they minded it much, with how utterly gleeful Sean was, even when engaged in combat with his teammates. Short two operatives, Songbird proposed he served on the team in his components' stead, and so it was agreed that Sean would do just that - once they got a better handle on what he could do. It would prove problematic if his condition locked him out of using certain skills - although if anything, it was likelier to open up new possibilities.   
Finding himself excited at the prospect, Roberto settled more comfortably into his chair as he watched the feed from the training hall.  
   
A loud thud echoed through the hall as Victor found himself on the floor, flung there by Sean. The fusion on his part took a moment to appreciate it before grinning and punching his fist through the air.  
   
"That was a _dirty_ trick," Victor accused as he pushed himself up.  
   
"It was not!" Sean countered, waving around the arm he turned into a sort of tentacle-whip. "We're checking to see what I can do, and look! _Shapeshifting_!"  
He trailed off despite that enthused statement. "This is _so_ weird..."  
   
"Is that Billy talking?" Ava asked, a borderline rhetorical question that still felt worthwhile.   
   
"Well, it's not the guy who's been doing this since birth," came the response as Sean reverted his arm back to normal. A moment's pause, then he looked at Ava apologetically. "Was that too cynical?"  
He could practically make out her smile under the mask.  
   
"Like I said - Billy talking."  
   
"Fair enough!"  
   
"You sure got better as we fought, though," Victor offered, steering the conversation back to a more practical direction, all the while rolling the shoulder he landed on. "You became harder and harder to hit."  
   
"Can you blame me? Our fighting styles aren't exactly compatible," Sean complained with a pout, hands on his hips. "Billy's a ranged caster built for dexterity and dodging. He wants nothing more than to get far away. Meanwhile, Teddy doesn't _want_ to get hit, but he's all about stamina and durability, a true tank. His first instinct is to dig his feet into the ground and cover his head, bracing for impact."  
   
"So now it's more--" Doreen tried, hands moving about as she spoke. "You _try_ to dodge, but if you get hit, it's no biggie."  
   
"More like I recover fast. I wouldn't say it's no biggie, though," Sean trailed off, rubbing his arm where earlier, Victor had landed a hit. "It still hurts."  
The distant, somewhat disturbed look on his face made Doreen tilt her head.   
   
"An acorn for your thoughts?"  
   
"It's just... whenever people say things like that about Teddy getting hurt, Billy compensates for it. _Over_ -compensates, even. But because he's in here, too..."  
   
"No outside contrast. Should I, uh, kiss it better, then?"  
   
That earned her a smile, small and weary as it was. "I'll accept the intent, if not the gesture. It's not only that, though. It's like... Billy _is_ in here, so whenever I take a hit, even one I can brush off easy, Teddy's worried, too."  
   
"That's good, then!" Squirrel Girl began with crossed arms and a nod. "More people could stand to take better care of themselves!"   
   
"Yeeaaaah, that's one thing I have down pat - worrying about myself."  
   
Ava then rejoined the conversation. "Isn't there the risk you'll overload with worry and overwhelm yourself?"  
It was an awkward question, but one Sean couldn't quite fault her for.   
   
"Hm. I don't think so. See, when they worry about each other, it focuses them. So I'm both concerned, but... _aware_. Did that make any sense?"  
   
"Like the time the Knights kidnapped Teddy, and Billy morphed the spell so he'd tag along!" Doreen proudly recalled. Sean nodded, but wasn't permitted to dwell for too long as Vic pulled out the tablet they were given on their way in.  
   
"Speaking of the Knights, we have one last thing on Teddy's list of abilities we need to check."  
   
"Excelsior," Sean uttered softly, his right hand clenching and relaxing periodically.  
   
"Can you even summon it? Doesn't it have that whole Excalibur thing going for it with only responding for the worthy?"  
   
"Hey, Teddy's in there, and he's worthy!" Doreen insisted, only to yelp. "Ah! But I don't mean that Billy _isn't_ \--"  
   
Sean shrugged, snickering. "Hey, no worries, S-G. Not all Avengers can lift Mjolnir, right? Doesn't make them lesser heroes."  
   
"Point!"  
   
"...I wonder if _I_ can lift Mjolnir!"  
   
His three teammates exchanged glances before ultimately shrugging.  
"Well, you haven't _failed_ to lift it, yet," Doreen concluded. Sean laughed, then nodded.  
   
"We'll have to try that later. But for now, I'll need a minute. It's new territory already, and given the circumstances..."  
He didn't even receive an answer, only the requested silence. Inhaling deeply, he closed his eyes and concentrated.  
   
~ _Do you think it'll work?~_  
   
_~I'm not sure, I'm pretty new to this...~_  
   
_~I know, but, like, should I_ leave _? Heh...~_  
   
_~_ No _. Absolutely not.~_  
   
_~...ok~_  
   
A small smile crept to Sean's lips as silence filled his mind, warm and calm. It was then he finally heard it, that faint whisper Teddy had only recently began hearing himself. Grinning widely, he spread his legs and threw out his arm.  
   
"To me, _Excelsior_!"  
   
The sword formed first in light, then burst into tangibility when he closed his hand, gripping the hilt. Doreen clapped softly and cooed, but otherwise the reactions seemed to be lukewarm at best. Victor simply looked back down at the pad, ready to check that off.  
   
"Well, that's tha--"  
   
" _Baaahahahahaha_!" Sean burst out laughing, catching Ava and Vic by surprise. Doreen simply snickered, seeming to share his enthusiasm.   
"This is sooooo _cool_!"  
   
"That's _definitely_ Billy speaking," Doreen concluded. Sean appreciated the blade for a while longer before smiling bashfully at her.  
   
"Well, I mean, _yeah_ , it is, but it's not like Teddy got to hype about it too openly until now, between the Knights and space-squid."  
   
Ava quirked a brow. "You two _hype_ over your powers?"  
   
Sean shrugged. "Well, to be fair, it's more often that we hype over each other, but, also, yes? Don't you? Ok, sometimes, the powers we have can be _terrifying_ , but what's the point if you can't enjoy them at all? _Appreciate_ them, if nothing else?"  
   
Doreen nodded in understanding. She was the only one.  
   
"Said the reality warper," Vic huffed, arms crossed. Sean simply snickered back.  
   
"Remember the aurora over Central Park half a year ago?"  
   
"Why am I not surprised that was you?"  
   
"Absolutely no reason to be!" Sean laughed. "Best date we had in ages."  
   
"That's one thing you can't do when you're like this, huh?"  
   
Sean blinked down at Doreen, who glanced aside, then frowned. "Uh... what?"  
   
"Nothing, just... you have a point."  
   
"Enough to make you want to split?"  
   
The snort that followed was gross and condescending, and more than a bit worrying.  
   
"Anyway..." Vic tried, gaze set on the tablet. "Let's see what you _can_ do like this - Wiccan edition."  
   
Sean nodded and looked down at his free hand, the one not still holding Excelsior. This was supposed to be the easy part... right?  
Energy gathered at his palm, a small orb that spun around itself in an impossible spiral. It was slightly different than the usual blue of Billy's powers, however, the glow more stable in comparison, almost opaque.  
   
"Well, _that's that_ ," Vic muttered and checked it off for the record. His two teammates, meanwhile, were busy watching the way Sean looked at the light, which, with a twitch of his wrist, melted around his hand.  
   
"So that's what it feels like," he whispered in almost reverence, making Doreen snicker.  
   
" _That_ 's Teddy."  
   
Sean nodded absently, but went on as though she said nothing. "I never even _dreamed_..." his cheeks painted in a bashful manner and he clenched his fist, the light focusing between his fingers. He glanced around silently for a moment before turning to Vic again.   
"Anything else?"   
   
"That's Billy again," Doreen chirped, earning herself an exasperated look from Sean. She hunched her shoulders lightly, tongue sticking out between her lips. Vic cleared his throat.  
   
"Well, we already know you can float from our fight, so anything else is freestyle, really."  
   
"Freestyle, huh..." sean echoed and opened his hand again to look at the light still glowing gently in his palm. He looked away with a thoughtful frown, eyes landing on his sword. Another look back at the light and his brows climbed up his forehead, a wide smirk tugging his lips upward and apart.   
   
"Shit--" Vic cursed as all three took steps back.  
   
"I think we should go to the safe zone," Ava declared; Doreen nodded eagerly.  
   
"I think we should! Count to ten, Sean! Remember, ten _acorns_!"  
   
"One acorn~ Two--"  
   
All three managed to reach the shielded area at the seventh acorn, but Sean still waited until the eighth before he pulled the orb of light over the blade. The glow melted into the runes, absorbed and amplified. He then let it go.  
   
"Madre de Dios," Roberto muttered as he stared at the static that filled the screens. He recovered and reached for the comm. Three distinct voices came in, belonging to Ava, Vic and Doreen, in various levels of shock and excitement. Roberto let out a sigh but he didn't sit back down, not until the static cleared, letting him see into the training hall again. The energy in the air was so thick it was visible even through the screens, and there Sean was, standing in the midst of it, both sword and formerly-brown eye glowing a bright blue.   
   
"You're one terrifying child," Sunspot concluded at the sight of Sean's giddy grin. Right; it was time he checked if Toni and Max came up with anything yet.  
   
–  
   
For all Sean's arguable overpowerdness, they managed to get him to promise not to use Billy's powers along with Excelsior, and so Songbird saw no reason not to allow him to join them on the field. 'If anything, it would help them better understand how he worked', more than one bee-hived scientist chirped, but Roberto couldn't quite shake off the bad feeling he's had since Sean blew up the training room. True, it was still Billy and Teddy in there. Sean was only as dangerous as the two were separately, and they let them out on missions all the time. Plus, they were both good at keeping their words, and likely only pulled that stunt knowing they were in the safety of the training hall. There was no risk in letting Sean out on the field...  
So what was that deep chill in the pit of Roberto's gut that bothered him so?  
   
–  
   
Cheers broke out through mission control as another mission came to a successful end, the new WHISPER cell contained and in custody. Live on the screen was Sean, floating in mid air with translucent blue wings flapping needlessly behind him.   
   
"Do you _really_ need those things out?" Vic's voice rang through the comm, drawing a nervous chuckle from Sean as he descended.   
   
"No? But Hulkling freaks out if he's flying without them."  
   
"Can't you just _shift_ , then? Seems like a waste of magic and concentration."  
   
"But _Wiccan_ isn't used to _shapeshifting_ , and form is important to spell-casting."  
   
"But you're not exactly Wiccan right now, are you? You're different."  
   
Roberto could've sworn he heard Sean blink.  
   
"I'm... close enough? And Wiccan's getup is magically conjured and constantly changing anyway... I mean, I haven't thought of that..."  
   
A hiss made Roberto look over his shoulder.  
"If we just limited how he can use Wiccan's powers..."  
   
"And if we did?" The Supreme Leader asked, catching the man by the controls by surprise. He found his voice soon enough, going over some readings.  
"Si- Sir! It would be such a waste if he used them on himself and split, is all!"  
   
"Elaborate," Roberto ordered, arms crossed and eyes narrowed.  
   
"Well, by any means of measurement, his performance has been superior to his separate components'! Uh, other than teamwork, but he more than makes up for it. And that's just now! Imagine how he'll be once he gets used to this state, and if you allow him to combine his separate abilities?! The possibilities are endless! It'll be such a waste to find a way to split them up!"  
   
The grunt next to him laughed.  
"He doesn't seem to be in any hurry to do it, either."  
   
"Oh. Well, then maybe we don't have to restrict him..."  
   
And that's when it dawned on Roberto, the source of his unease. He stared at Sean with a frown until Max's voice pulled his attention away.  
   
"They're not wrong, albeit in their own, special way," he said as he stood next to Roberto, eyes on the monitors as well.  
   
"Oh? You think we should keep them fused?"  
   
"I think _he wants_ to stay fused. And I'm not sure we have a say in it."  
   
"Are you talking consent with me, Max?"  
   
"I guess I am," Max admitted, shifting uncomfortably and scratching the back of his neck. The gaze Roberto set on him was neutral, but the silence bade he spoke before long.  
   
"It's no secret - they - _he_ \- looks really happy about it! And with how much he's talking to himself, we know our guys feel the same. So who are we to pull them apart? And what about Sean, huh? He's _gone_ if we do that, Roberto."   
   
"Like Billy and Teddy are now--"  
   
"That's not fair--"  
   
"You're not the person who has to tell their families what happened to them," Roberto countered, making Max clear his throat. "Also, while we're on the subject, do you, perchance, imply they _agreed_ to _this_?"  
   
"Oh hell no, but how many other incredible people did?"  
   
"Steve Rogers did."  
   
"That's--"  
   
"Carol Danvers didn't, but then again, Carol Danvers was still herself at the end of it."  
   
"Ok, but--"  
   
"Bruce Banner fought tooth and nail to so much as _control_ the Hulk, let alone be _cured_ of him."  
   
At this point, Max was holding his hands up in defeat. "You win! You win."  
   
Sighing softly, Roberto let himself frown. "If we split them up, and they want to fuse again, we'll do whatever we can to make sure they can do it - in a controlled, safe manner. Defuse at will. Set durations. No surprise split-ups that will result in nuclear detonation."  
   
"Does that mean you're withdrawing your permission to send him out?"  
   
"I guess I am. Until you can tell me what I just said isn't really an option."  
   
"Or we find a way to undo this."  
   
"Whatever comes first."  
   
Max nodded and followed Roberto's gaze back to the monitor, where Sean was still on display, grinning and giddy.  
   
"They'll hate us for this, you know."  
   
"They'll hate _me_. And there are much worse things to be hated for. Trust me, I won't lose sleep over this."  
   
"If you say so, boss," Max muttered at Roberto's back as the man walked off, no longer seeing a need to be in the control room.  
   
–  
   
Back on the island, past debriefing and some more checkups, Sean was let go, so he made his way to the room Billy and Teddy shared. The first order of business was, understandably, a shower. He managed to make it to the bathroom before he broke into giggles.  
   
"Well, that was an experience," was the conclusion after the act. He stood in his room with a towel clad around his hips and another slumped over his shoulders. Following that train of thought, he glanced at the bed and found himself giggling again.   
"And _that_ would be _fascinating_ \-- but maybe later," came the verdict, as he turned to the various means of entertainment scattered around the room. "Let's see, what should I do. Read? Play? Watch-- oooh, there's backlog to go through--"  
For Billy. Teddy had already seen the thing - with Billy's blessing, mind - but the backlash was felt either way, making Sean scrunch his nose.   
   
"Did I just spoil myself? I just spoiled myself! What the hell, Te--"  
   
He froze, blinking, momentarily disoriented. Another blink and he frowned, ruffling his hair. "This is one _awkward_ conversation to be having on my own," he muttered, pouting. There was no one else to break the silence on the outside, but inside, things were moving again following that brief distortion. He clapped, then rubbed his hands.  
   
"Right! Still plenty to do that's new to _all_ of me! Now where did I put it?"  
   
The sought after game cartridge was found quickly and the young man bounced excitedly as the opening cinematics played.  
   
"Oh man, I finally don't have to worry about gameplay and grinding, _and_ I get extra immersion and over-analysis! This is going to be the best of both worlds! The true, full experience!"   
   
It was halfway through the tutorial that the hype broke, and he lowered his controller, eyes set unseeingly at a random point in the air. Not even his character's death could make him stop thinking about the way Roberto greeted him. All smiles and confidence, as always, a hand on his shoulder, praises for the successful mission. And then, a promise - he'll get them out before long. Sean knew Roberto meant well, and he knew himself it had to be done. In his head - in their head, Billy and Teddy both knew that was so. But as Sean stared down at his hands, one a green claw, the other glowing blue, holding desperately onto each other, none of that mattered.   
   
"I don't--"  
   
AIM could do it. They literally had the technology and the talent to do it. And then they would, and the tranquility and peace and togetherness and _right_ would be gone. No matter how close they'll be, they'll still be apart. They'll be each other. And that truth was too much to bear, tears streaming down Sean's cheeks as he held his hands to his face.  
   
"We don't want to split..."  
   
–  
   
It was two days later. Sean received the call on his arm piece, and it was the first time there wasn't even a hint of a smile on his lips, nor in his eyes. He arrived at the area designated as the 'battle lab' and found the team in its entirety, Pod included, waiting for him. That one in particular made Sean stop and stare before snarling.   
   
"What, are you expecting me to put up a fight?"  
   
"Yes," came the blunt reply from Roberto, who seemed quite calm despite his words, stance lax and hands in his pockets. "Should be interesting, at least, don't you think?"  
   
"I think I'd rather stay _off_ Pod's bad side."  
   
Pod made a nodding motion and gave him a thumbsup. Sean smiled briefly back before walking into the small area designated for him.  
   
"So. How do we go about it?"  
   
"Toni?" Roberto requested and stepped aside to let his head engineer take the stage. Toni looked through her data again before looking up straight at Sean.  
   
"To be frank, we have no sure way of doing it."  
   
"...I beg your pardon?" Sean blinked.  
   
Melissa narrowed her eyes at Roberto. "Is that why you let her speak? To take the fall for you?"  
   
"Melissa, I've _no_ idea what you're talking about."  
   
"Of course you don't."  
   
Pod held a finger up to her main eye-like lens in a silencing manner. Toni cleared her throat before offering Sean a tiny smile.   
   
"It's taking longer than we'd like to decode all the data we got, let alone make heads or tails of it. But tell me - are you, er... still talking to yourself?"  
   
"Yes," came the loud, unanimous reply from Power Man, Squirrel Girl and White Tiger all, making Sean wince.  
   
"Rude! Do I really--"  
   
"You do," came again the wall made of words, leaving Sean pouting.  
   
"Not cool, you guys!"  
   
"That's good news, actually," Tony went on, not responding to the team's antics while she flipped through the data to a specific paragraph. "While still mostly hypothetical, the less you converse with yourself, the lower our chances of pulling you apart."  
   
"Assuming you even want us to--"  
   
" _Max_ ," Roberto chidded, but it seemed there was no need for that, judging by the sad smile on Sean's face.   
   
"Hey, I'm genre savvy. I know this likely means trouble. Besides, there's a Bar Mitzvah coming up later this month and _I_ wasn't exactly invited."  
   
"You can always shift? Magically, or--"  
   
Sean was laughing three words ago. "Vic, _please_. Have you _met_ my mom? Magical or Skrull-based shifting, if I so much as _thought_ about pulling anything, she'd _know_."  
   
Doreen sighed dramatically. "Mom intuition, am I right?" She held her fist up and they partook in a long distance fist-bump. Roberto took a moment to study the mood before nodding.  
   
"I take it we won't be facing resistance from you, then?"  
   
Despite what he said before, Sean closed his eyes, taking a short while to consider his options. Stalling a moment longer than was comfortable for his teammates, he finally nodded, sober determination in his eyes before a bitter smirk twisted his lips.  
"...or so I'd like to say, but it doesn't seem like you have the first idea of how to do it."  
   
Ignoring the triumphant tone to his voice, Toni flipped through her memos on her tablet and seemed for a moment to have found renewed determination of her own.  
"We are not without our options. There are several safe approaches we can already attempt, that is to say--"  
   
She was interrupted when the door leading to the hall opened, and in came an ally who had so far been absent - but not without reason.  
   
"Never fear, Clint is here!"  
   
"That is to say - we're desperate, apparently," Vic sounded the collective thought. Roberto meanwhile approached the archer who marched towards the rest of them with a sure step. Once they were close enough, Roberto planted his hand on Clint's shoulder, keeping him in place, even as he kept looking ahead.  
   
"Did you tell SHIELD about him?"  
   
Clint was still busy waving when he answered. "What do you think?"  
   
"I think you're too scared of Kate to have told on two of her best friends."  
   
"See? You _do_ know me."  
   
Satisfied, Roberto released his grip, allowing Clint to close the distance. Sean in the meanwhile took to float-sitting, one elbow on his knee and chin in his palm.  
   
" _This_ is your secret weapon? No offense, Clint, just--"  
   
"No, no, I know, trust me, I can hardly believe it myself. But it just so turned out that _I_ have the most relevant super-power here!" At the curious, doubting looks, he held up his cell-phone. "I have your bestie on speed-dial!"  
   
"Kate? What does she have to do with this?"  
   
"I'll explain," Toni offered, stepping forward. "One of our leading theories that's supported by the data we did manage to salvage holds that your current state of being is dependant on... not balance, but _harmony_."  
   
"Pffbt, I could've told you that," Sean complained; Doreen scrunched her nose.  
   
"I _did_ tell you that."  
   
Toni cleared her throat. "No one here knows you well enough to know what makes you - and by that, I mean, well, the relationship - tick. That means we can't efficiently attempt to disrupt it. This is where Clint's connections to people who know you better proved useful."  
   
Sean frowned, uneasy. "That makes sense, but if you bring up certain magical doubts, I'm teleporting out."  
   
"Magical doubts?"  
   
"Chaos Magic 101," Clint hummed, nodding sagely. "You learn not to think about it too much."  
   
"Exactly! Which is why I'll say on record that we checked, we're Dr. Strange approved, and we're done talking about it!"  
   
"Said the person who even brought it up," Vic muttered before turning away from Sean's glare. Roberto quirked a brow, while Melissa got back on track.   
   
"Did you manage to get anything useful, Clint?"  
   
"You bet I did," the archer declared proudly and looked at a note on his cellphone. "I think, between Katie, Tommy, Eli and Cassie, that I can at least make a dent. You ready?"  
   
"To be _unmade_? I don't think there's really getting ready for that," Sean replied, but had both feet on the ground just the same. "Lay it on me. What kind of dirt did our so-called friends have to say about us?"  
   
It _was_ a good question, they knew. Surviving several years of super-hero drama was hard to do even without having to maintain a relationship on top of it all - somewhere, something had to give. All eyes were on Clint who, with a wide grin, read out the first entry on the list.   
   
"Digimon is better than Pokemon."  
   
The words were left to hang in the air as most of those present needed a moment to believe they were actually spoken at all.  
   
"I didn't expect that, but in hindsight, that was a mistake," Roberto concluded with a nod as he realigned his tie.   
   
"It adds up, alright," Vic agreed, but was frowning regardless. "But how much of an impact would--"  
   
"Woah!" Doreen exclaimed once she looked back at Sean, proving Vic wrong. The young man seemed visibly on edge - he kept blinking, fingers twitching in and out of fists, his tongue darting between his lips. One moment he seemed annoyed, the next - smug and satisfied.   
   
"They're _different_ ," he hissed, teeth clenched. "Their quality varies across mediums, they appeal to different audiences, games aren't quite the same genre - they're _different_."  
   
Roberto blinked twice at the display before looking at Toni, who, after a quick scan of the subject's readings, gave an affirmative nod.  
   
"Hawkeye, you're good to go."  
   
"Wait, seriously--" Sean stuttered before Clint held up his list again.  
   
The book is always better.  
Star Trek vs. Star Wars.  
Which Doctor was the best?  
Which _companion_?  
Each such controversial topic left Sean even more out of breath, and disoriented, until finally he was on his knees, sweating and shivering. His teammates exchanged concerned looks, and Roberto turned to Toni with mild annoyance.  
   
"Is this working, or not?!"  
   
"It should! He needs one more push!"  
   
"I hope you're right, I'm not a fan of torture. Clint!"  
   
The archer hesitated for a moment but returned to his list just the same. He could still see it though, the pained, miserable look on Sean's face as the boy slowly, pleadingly shook his head. Clint gulped.  
   
"I'm sorry, kid, but... Han shot first!"   
   
Despite Clint's dramatic pose, of legs spread and pointed finger held out, Sean actually seemed relieved.  
   
"Well, that, we agree--"  
   
"Gen 1 was better!"  
   
Light filled the room, blinding everyone present, who could only hear two distinct thuds and accompanying groans. When the glow faded, they found Wiccan and Hulkling present again, the former sprawled on his back on one side of their designated safe-zone with the latter already recovered enough to attempt to crawl over.  
   
The Supreme Leader tore his eyes away from the sight and looked at his lead scientist who, after going over her readings on the tablet, gave him a reassuring nod. More elaborate check-ups were in order, but at least it _seemed_ like everything was ok... all things considered, at least.  
   
"We really are _that_ petty, aren't we?" Billy growled softly when Teddy came into view. The mage had little sarcasm left to spare, however, as he too felt what he saw so clearly in Teddy's eyes - hurt, longing, and loneliness. They moved in unison, Teddy leaning down to half lie over Billy, who wrapped his arms around him and held him as close as he could, only to still feel like they were miles apart.   
   
"Well, this doesn't feel satisfying at all," Clint muttered, scratching the back of his neck. The rest of the team seemed to share the sentiment, with Tippy Toe running back and forth and chirping angrily at any scientist who attempted to come near the two.   
Roberto had a similar disposition, as did Toni, but he said it anyway, if only for the record -   
   
"Give them a minute," he requested and was not surprised in the least when Toni nodded eagerly and busied herself with her tablet.   
   
"This is the worst victory I have ever won," Clint complained and found solace at Melissa's hand on his shoulder.  
   
"Surely there have been worse?"  
   
"Yeah, well," Clint trailed off in favor of taking in the sight of the two hugging boys on the floor. "It's one of those 'can't think of any right now' moments."  
   
"Afraid I must agree," Roberto yielded and took his leave, knowing Toni and Max would take care of the rest, and that the boys would probably appreciate the smaller audience.  
   
–  
   
It was hard for Teddy and Billy to let the other out of their sight after the split. They insisted on being present for each other's checkups, and seemed to be anxious whenever they were pulled too far apart. Generally accepted to be a side-effect of what they just went through, hardly anyone objected or complained, letting the two be together until finally they were allowed to retire to their room. They helped each other undress, showered together, loathe to let the other out of reach. They washed each other more than themselves, desperate for any last amount of skinship. Eventually after a kiss, Teddy pressed his forehead against Billy's, eyes searching the mage's even though the distance between them was nonexistent.  
   
"How can you be this close, but still feel so far away?" he pleaded, making Billy wince as he pressed his hands a bit tighter over the small of Teddy's back.  
   
"C'mon, let's get out of here. I doubt getting pruned will help either of us any."  
   
"I don't get pruned--"  
   
" _Me_ getting pruned--"  
   
"I like you pruned, it's cute."  
   
"This is why Sean was an airhead."  
   
"So _very_ loud in his head," Teddy agreed. He held on a bit longer before finally letting Billy go. Teddy himself stayed behind, eyes eating up Billy as he went about drying himself.  
"This is one good thing about being apart again, I guess," he began as he finally turned off the water and stepped out as well. Billy looked at him questioningly, lowering his towel to his shoulders just in time for Teddy to cup his cheeks, a thumb tracing Billy's lips. "You're one fine piece of eye candy, Kaplan."  
   
The look of flattered surprise on Billy's face was priceless, Teddy thought, and smiled when Billy kissed his thumb.  
   
"You're one to talk, but I'll accept it just the same."  
   
"How generous of you," Teddy teased and tilted his head into the hand Billy placed on his cheek. Several such exchanges of skinship later, and they managed to get mostly decent. They ended up on the bed, neither saying much for a while after. It was Teddy and his impatience that finally said something.  
   
"Penny for your thoughts?"  
   
Billy snickered. "Seriously?"  
   
"Well, it's not like I can read your mind anymore."  
   
"More like you're no longer _in_ it."  
   
"Bet you I'm _on_ it."  
   
"That was bad and you should feel bad."  
   
Teddy laughed victoriously before rolling onto his side while Billy kept staring at the ceiling. He reached for the mage's hand, interlacing their fingers before looking up at Billy's face, sadness and longing filling his eyes.  
   
"I don't remember the last time I missed you this much."  
   
"That's the sweetest thing you've said to me in ages."  
   
"Well, I mean it," Teddy retorted and pushed himself up, staring down at Billy in admonishment. "Don't tell me you don't feel it too, this... _distance_."  
   
"It was there a week ago too, Tee, and we were just fine then," Billy tried and sat up as well. Teddy was still pouting.  
   
"Yeah, but a week ago we didn't know it didn't _have_ to be."  
   
The silence returned, during which Billy tried to establish eye contact. Finally he ducked his head, forcing Teddy to look at him, and milking a chuckle out of the blond in the process. It left Teddy all the less prepared for what came next.  
   
"You want to tell me that doesn't _excite_ you?"  
   
Teddy quirked a brow. "Should it?"  
   
Billy shrugged. "Don't get me wrong, I'm fighting off tears here, too. But why do we have to look at it like that, like something we _lost_? Tee, we just got proof that this - _us_ \- can be so much better than it is now!"  
   
"Yeah, if we _fuse_ \--"  
   
Billy sighed. "Do we _have_ to? Do you know for _sure_ we can't get there on our own? You know what? Take a step back, and flip it around. Do you really think _this_ is the best it's going to get? That from here on out, until the very end, it'll never change? Never _improve_?"  
   
"God, I hope not. I mean, I hope it does. You know what I mean," Teddy was quick to reply, even if a bit clumsy with his words. "Yeah, it's _great_ , but if we can make it _better_..."  
   
"Only one way to find out, right?"  
   
"...right," Teddy finally yielded, and stayed put when Billy pulled closer, pressing their foreheads together. Billy closed his eyes, simply absorbing Teddy's warmth while Teddy tried to take in as much as he could. Billy's scent; the black strands of hair that crept into his line of sight; their hands, if he looked down - still held tightly. And the fact that rather than mourn the distance, Billy chose to see it as a chance - a _challenge_ \- he saw it as _hope_. Could it be, Teddy wondered as he felt his chest tightening just a bit. Could they have gotten closer already?   
   
"You know, for something a bit more short-term..." Teddy began, voice a whisper that carried to it a certain promise. Billy pulled back just enough so that Teddy could see his quirked brow, to which he responded by sticking his tongue between his lips. "There is a way for us to feel closer, even if for a little bit." The statement was accompanied with a hand rubbing gently up Billy's thigh. Billy let out a short laugh born mostly of surprise, and responded with a hand running over Teddy's chest.  
   
"Only good thing about being apart, eh?"  
   
"I'm not sure if it's the only good thing... but it's definitely one of the best."  
   
Billy nodded, then leaned in for a kiss. He pulled back then, dragging Teddy along with him down towards the mattress. Alone together, and finally at a stable enough state, both could admit it wasn't as bad as it could be, while embracing the longing that yet remained. There was much work ahead, to be sure, but they focused on that moment, and feeling as close as they could be right then. And for that precious blink in time, it was enough.  
  



End file.
